


two boys just camping out, trying to keep each other from the frost

by pollitt



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Episode Related, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-30
Updated: 2011-10-30
Packaged: 2017-10-25 02:50:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/270910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pollitt/pseuds/pollitt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Shane saw Rick, so pale and broken, his shirt, hands and brow stained in Carl’s blood... It wasn’t the most helpless Shane had ever felt, but it was close.</p>
            </blockquote>





	two boys just camping out, trying to keep each other from the frost

**Author's Note:**

> This is a missing scene from episode 2.02 "Bloodletting" (if the episode existed in the universe of _**everywhere you turn, catastrophe it reigns**_ where there is no love triangle. Shane isn't on the fast track to the darkside) and is set just after the first time Rick and Shane leave Carl's room. I borrowed a sentence or two from other scenes for this.

Shane can’t remember a time when he wasn’t in love with Rick Grimes.

It wasn’t like he’d pined away for the guy--not much at least. There had been some rough ass times when it was all he could think about, but what do you expect when you’re talking about a hormone-addled teenage boy. And he sure as shit hadn’t put his life on hold. No, he’d lived, loved, fucked and protected and served. And in all that time, the thing in his life that he’d been best at was staying by Rick’s side through the good and the bad and damn if he didn’t love every goddamn thing about the man--from his huge, stupid heart to the hat on his head, and most importantly, his son. Second to Rick himself, the thing--the person--Shane loved most in the world was Carl.

He’d been there since the day Carl was born, and in the months since Rick’s accident, since the world had gone to hell, Shane had tried to be the best father-figure to the kid that he could be, the kind of father that he knew Rick would be.

So to say Shane’s heart was stomped to shit, that every bit of his soul was tearing apart as he watched Rick run with Carl’s body. Or when he saw Rick, so pale and broken, his shirt, hands and brow stained in Carl’s blood... It wasn’t the most helpless Shane had ever felt, but it was close.

“Hey,” Shane said, the words he wanted to say stuck deep in his chest. He pulled the pink shop rag from his pocket and carefully wiped Rick’s face, whispering soothing words and watching as Rick cleaned up some of the blood from his hands.

Inside, Carl’d looked so pale on the sheets of that old bed, so small, but Hershel seemed to know what he was doing and when he sent him and Rick outside to wait--telling Rick not to go too far, that they’d probably be needing his blood soon--Shane asked where the washroom was.

“C’mon.” Shane placed his hand low on Rick’s back, gently guiding him in the direction Maggie had indicated.

He turned the lock as soon as they were inside.

“Shane,” Rick said shakily, turning to look at Shane. He looked to be one breath away from falling apart.

“He’ll be okay, Rick. He will.” Shane turned on the water and reached out his arm. Rick accepted, almost falling into Shane’s embrace, burying his face in Shane’s neck, sobbing. Shane pulled the bloodied rag from his pocket and with one hand rinsed it out. “Let’s get you cleaned up. Okay?”

Rick nodded against Shane’s neck but didn’t pull away.

“Rick,” Shane said quietly, leaving the rag on the counter, the water still running, and ran his fingers through Rick’s hair. “I’ve got you and if you need to fall apart right now, you go right ahead. I’ve got you. But we’ve got to get this blood off of you, buddy. We’ve got to head back out there, to Carl.”

At this, Rick let out a shuddering breath and pulled back. “Alright.” He reached for the rag, but Shane beat him to it.

“Let me do that, okay? I got you.” Shane offered the slightest smile, dipping his head to catch Rick’s eyes. Rick offered a watery grin and nodded.

Shane continued what he started earlier--cupping one side of Rick’s face and wiping the drying blood off of Rick’s face as gently as he could.

“Why’d I let him come with us?” Rick asked, reaching up and wrapping his hand around Shane’s forearm.

“No, no do not go down that path.” Shane dipped his face again so he could look into Rick’s eyes again. “You go down there, you’ll never get that monkey off your back.”

“But--”

“No.” There wasn’t a trace of blood on Rick’s face any longer. Shane dropped the rag back into the sink basin. “The Grimes men are strong. You right here is proof enough. You hear me?”

“Yes,” Rick said quietly.

Shane leaned forward, his hand still cupping Rick’s jaw, and kissed him gently. It wasn’t a hot kiss nor was it wasn’t sexy--it wasn’t meant to be. It was meant to be exactly what it was--a point of connection, of support, from one man to the person he loves.

They stood there, foreheads pressed together, until Rick’s breathing was steady.


End file.
